CooperVision Inc. says it will expand its recall of Avaira soft contacts to include 4.9 million Sphere lenses, which have already been shipped to customers around the world.

The problem appears to be the level of silicone oil left on the lenses during the manufacturing process, according to a company news release.

Recall Expanded

In August, the company recalled nearly 780,000 Avaira Toric lenses after the FDA received dozens of reports of eye pain and vision problems from wearers.

But the FDA felt that recall was too muted, and last month, the agency issued its own urgent warning about Avaira lenses and pressured CooperVision to step up its efforts to alert the public.

"The company is confident we found the problem and have taken corrective action to fix the problem," Christine Moench, vice president of Global Regulatory Affairs and Quality Assurance at CooperVision, says in the release. "The health and safety of our customers is our top priority."

Customers who experience problems should remove the lenses immediately and contact their eye care provider.